Response of EOTC Department of Foreign Affairs on Join Statement of the Patriarchs of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East

Archdeacon Tesfa Mikael Williams and Deacon Solomon Kibriye (Ethiopian Affairs) – 28/10/2022

Ethiopia: Department of Foreign Affairs of the General Secretariat of the Patriarchate Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church published a response to Join Statement of the Patriarchs of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East, which was made after the 13th meeting of the hierarchy of the Oriental Church in the Middle East.

The original statement from the department is as follows :

“Seventhly: The Case of El- Sultan Monastery in Jerusalem that is owned by the Coptic Orthodox Church

We are saddened by the recent developments in the case of El-Sultan Monastery that was captured by the Ethiopian monks, and their methods in trying to display their flag during Easter celebrations as proof of their ownership.

We stand and support the Coptic Orthodox Church in its ownership of this Historic Coptic Monastery.”

Translation of the statement made by Archdeacon Tesfa Mikael Williams:

The Secretariat of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s Department of Foreign Affairs
The 23rd of October 2022
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

It has been more than ten years since the sister Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East established their own council. This council consists of the apostolic Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Egypt, and the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, Lebanon. These three churches established this joint platform to discuss matters related to the politics and security in the Middle East, separate from the other sister Oriental Orthodox Churches.
Previously, the fifth patriarch of the EOTC His Holiness Abune Paulose I asked the three Churches about the purpose of the council during his patriarchal reign, and the main reason given was to hold counsel concerning the issue of fundamentalism at the time, because the Coptic, Syriac and Armenian Church of Cilicia patriarchates are all situated in the Middle East and face issues related to their own geographic location. It was also expressed by the leaders of the Churches that the purpose was not to hold private meetings apart from the other Oriental Orthodox Churches, but to address issues related to the countries in which they are situated. However, from October 18-20, an unrecognized meeting called The Thirteenth Meeting of the Patriarchs of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East was held, and a statement was released. The so-called Joint Statement was released on the website of the Syriac Orthodox Church and other social media platforms today. Moreover, it was noted that, apart from issues related to the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East, an unacceptable statement was included.
In this Joint Statement, an utterly unacceptable statement was made with no reference to the history, religious heritage preservation or legal statuary connection to the EOTC’s ancient, historical and sovereign property; and it threatens to sever the unity of the Oriental Orthodox Churches.
Most importantly, veering far from the truth, the seventh paragraph of the Joint Statement speaks of the historical heritage and ancient property of the EOTC in Jerusalem, the Holy Land, falling short of the religious and historical connection of the Churches. It says, “Seventhly: The Case of El- Sultan Monastery in Jerusalem that is owned by the Coptic Orthodox Church We are saddened by the recent developments in the case of El-Sultan Monastery that was captured by the Ethiopian monks, and their methods in trying to display their flag during Easter celebrations as proof of their ownership. We stand and support the Coptic Orthodox Church in its ownership of this Historic Coptic Monastery.”

EOTC TV added the following to their report. from 14:00min

The department of foreign affairs of the secretariat of the patriarchate of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church informed us they will carry out an investigation to obtain tangible evidence and present its decisions to the relevant body.